What is a GC rider in cycling?
A GC rider is a rider who aims to win, or finish high in, the general classification of stage races. GC stands for general classification, the overall ranking based on total time.
To win a stage race overall, a rider must lose as little time as possible every day and gain time where it counts. That usually means climbing with the best in the mountains, riding a strong time trial and avoiding crashes and splits on flat and windy stages.
Because the Grand Tours are the most valuable races in the sport, the best GC riders are also among the best paid. A rider capable of winning the Tour de France is the most expensive type of rider a team can hire, and a whole squad is often built around protecting them for three weeks.
Below the very top are riders who target top-ten finishes, shorter stage races or the Giro and Vuelta rather than the Tour. They still need a team around them, usually including several climbers and a strong rider for the flat.
On howtoturnpro.com GC leaders sit in the highest pay bands of our salary model. Our highest-paid list shows how many of the top earners are stage-race riders.